To insert intervertebral prostheses consisting of two prosthesis plates, each to be connected to a respective vertebral body, and of a prosthesis core arranged between these plates, insertion instruments are known (EP-A-333 990) which, at their front end, have two prosthesis holders which each receive a prosthesis plate. The prosthesis holders are connected to one another via a parallel guide which makes it possible initially to bring the prosthesis plates very close to one another, so as to be able more easily to introduce them into the narrow intervertebral space, and then to spread them apart (with the adjoining vertebrae) in order to be able to insert the prosthesis core between them. Thereafter, the prosthesis holders are moved back toward one another so that the prosthesis plates receive the prosthesis core in its operational position, and the instrument is removed. The known instrument is designed as a forceps which is angled in relation to the direction of the prosthesis holders, which direction is intended to coincide with the median direction of the body, so as not to impede the introduction of the prosthesis core. Nevertheless, the introduction of the prosthesis core is difficult.
An instrument for introducing a prosthesis of this kind is also known (DE-U-299 16 078) which is formed by a lower pair of guide rods and an upper guide rod, these rods being articulated on one another at the rear end and carrying prosthesis holders at their front ends. They form a guide track for a spreader element. When the latter is driven forward between them by means of a toothed rack, it spreads the rod ends apart and at the same time pushes the prosthesis core ahead of it until the latter has reached the desired end position. Thereafter, the spreader element is drawn back in order to bring the prosthesis plates toward the prosthesis core. In this case, the spreading movement is inextricably linked with the introduction of the prosthesis core, so that the spreading operation is not separate from the introduction of the prosthesis core and can be observed only with difficulty.